River, ocean and tidal current energy production

Abstract

An apparatus is described for converting river, tidal or ocean current energy into another form of energy, such as electrical, mechanical, or chemical energy. The apparatus can include a first underwater sail(s) coupled to a first cable and second underwater sail(s) coupled to a second cable. The sails are configured to catch water flows and move their respective cables along pulleys. The first cable and the second cable can form a main cable loop that is coupled to a bull wheel. A second cable loop configures the sails to best catch the water flow. The pulleys can guide the main cable loop along a rotational direction. The rotational movement of the bullwheel can be transferred to a generator to convert the water flow into another form of energy.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An apparatus for converting kinetic energy into another form of energy, the apparatus comprising:
 a first sail coupled to a first cable and disposed underwater, the first sail configured to move the first cable in a first direction when the first sail catches a water flow; 
 a second sail coupled to a second cable, the second sail configured to move the second cable in a second direction opposite the first direction when the second sail catches the water flow, wherein the first cable and the second cable form a main cable loop; 
 a first pulley and a second pulley coupled to the first cable, the first pulley and the second pulley configured to guide the first cable in a first rotational direction when the first cable moves in the first direction; 
 a third pulley and a fourth pulley coupled to the second cable, the third pulley and the fourth pulley configured to guide the second cable in a second rotational direction when the second cable moves in the second direction; 
 a bullwheel coupled to the main cable loop, the main cable loop configured to rotate the bullwheel in the first rotational direction or the second rotational direction; and 
 a generator coupled to the bullwheel, the generator configured to convert kinetic energy from a rotation of the bullwheel into another form of energy. 
 
     
     
       2. The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a control cable loop coupled to a cable controller, the first pulley, the second pulley, the third pulley, and the fourth pulley, the cable controller configured to move the control cable loop around the cable controller, the first pulley, the second, the third pulley, and the fourth pulley. 
 
     
     
       3. The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein:
 the first sail is fixedly attached to the first cable and the control cable loop, 
 the first sail is coupled to the first cable and the control cable loop via a first ring configured to move along a length of the first cable, 
 the second sail is fixedly attached to the second cable and the control cable loop, and 
 the second sail is coupled to the second cable and the control cable loop via a second ring configured to move along a length of the second cable. 
 
     
     
       4. The apparatus of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 a fifth pulley coupled to the control cable loop, wherein the fifth pulley is configured to modify a tension in the control cable loop or shift the control cable loop bidirectionally in relation to the main cable loop rotation. 
 
     
     
       5. The apparatus of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 a buoy coupled to an anchored buoy cable, wherein the anchored buoy cable is coupled to the third pulley and the fourth pulley, 
 wherein the anchored buoy cable is configured as a subsurface turnaround attachment for the third pulley and the fourth pully, and functions as an offshore return point for the main cable loop and the control cable loop. 
 
     
     
       6. The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a buoy coupled to an anchored buoy cable, wherein the anchored buoy cable is coupled to the third pulley and the fourth pulley, 
 wherein the third pulley and the fourth pulley are configured to move along a vertical length of the anchored buoy cable. 
 
     
     
       7. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein each of the first sail and the second sail comprises:
 a sail mast fixedly coupled to the main cable loop; 
 a plurality of fins coupled to a first end of the sail mast and second end of the sail mast opposite the first end; 
 a sail fabric coupled to the sail mast at a first side of the sail fabric; 
 a flotation member coupled to the sail fabric at a second side of the sail fabric opposite the first side; 
 a first sheet control cord coupled to the flotation member, the control cable loop, and a ring that is coupled to the main cable loop, wherein the ring is configured to move along a length of the main cable loop when the first sail or the second sail catches the water flow; and 
 a second sheet control cord coupled to the flotation member, the control cable loop, and a ring that is coupled to the main cable loop, wherein the ring is configured to move along the length of the main cable loop when the first sail or the second sail catches the water flow. 
 
     
     
       8. The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein an edge of the sail mast includes micro scalloping, ridging, or grooves to reduce drag. 
     
     
       9. The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the sail fabric has a triangular shape, a round shape, a diamond shape, a quadrilateral shape, or a three dimensional shape. 
     
     
       10. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the bullwheel is configured to modify a tension of the main cable loop. 
     
     
       11. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the first rotational direction and the second rotational direction are a same rotational direction. 
     
     
       12. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the first rotational direction is opposite the second rotational direction. 
     
     
       13. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first pulley, the second pulley, the third pulley, or the fourth pulley includes a gimbaled pulley configured to be fixed to a ground substrate of a body of water. 
     
     
       14. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the first sail is configured to oscillate the first cable to move between the first pulley and the second pulley when the first sail catches the water flow, and 
 the second sail is configured to oscillate the second cable to move between the third pulley and the fourth pulley when the second sail catches the water flow. 
 
     
     
       15. A system for converting a water flow into electrical energy, the system, comprising:
 a main cable loop; 
 a control cable loop, wherein a first pulley, a second pulley, a third pulley, and a fourth pulley are configured to guide the main cable loop and the control cable loop in a rotational direction; 
 a sail coupled to the main cable loop and the control cable loop, the sail configured to move the main cable loop in the rotational direction when the sail catches the water flow; 
 a controller coupled to the control cable loop, the controller configured to move the control cable loop in the rotational direction to cause an angle of the sail to change; 
 a bullwheel coupled to the main cable loop, wherein the main cable loop is configured to turn the bullwheel when the main cable loop moves in the rotational direction; and 
 a generator coupled to the bullwheel, the generator configured to convert a movement of the bullwheel into the electrical energy. 
 
     
     
       16. The system of  claim 15 , wherein the sail includes:
 a sail mast fixedly attached to the main cable loop; 
 a plurality of fins coupled to a first end of the sail mast and second end of the sail mast opposite the first end, the plurality of fins being configured to stabilize the sail mast with respect to the main cable loop; 
 a sail fabric coupled to the sail mast at a first side of the sail fabric; 
 a flotation member coupled to the sail fabric at a second side of the sail fabric opposite the first side; 
 a first sheet control cord fixedly attached to the flotation member, the control cable loop, and a first ring that is coupled to the main cable loop, wherein the first ring is configured to slide along a length of the main cable loop when the first sheet control cord causes the sail to catch the water flow; and 
 a second sheet control cord fixedly attached to the flotation member, the control cable loop, and a second ring that is coupled to the main cable loop, wherein the second ring is configured to slide along the length of the main cable loop when the second sheet control cord causes the sail to catch the water flow. 
 
     
     
       17. The system of  claim 16 , wherein the sail fabric has a triangular shape, a round shape, a diamond shape, a quadrilateral shape, or a three dimensional shape. 
     
     
       18. The system of  claim 16 , wherein the flotation member, the first pulley, the second pulley, the third pulley, and the fourth pulley are configured to allow the sail to flip over the main cable loop and the control cable loop to orient to the opposite flow of the water flow. 
     
     
       19. The system of  claim 15 , wherein at least one of the first pulley, the second pulley, the third pulley, or the fourth pulley includes a gimbaled pulley configured to be fixed to a ground substrate of a body of water. 
     
     
       20. The system of  claim 15 , further comprising a fifth pulley coupled to the control cable loop, wherein the fifth pulley is configured to modify a tension in the control cable loop. 
     
     
       21. The system of  claim 15 , wherein the bullwheel is configured to modify a tension in the main cable loop.